Medicament cartridge and hypodermic syringe embodying the same



, H. S. COOK MEDICAMENT CARTRIDGE AND HYPODERMIC SYRINGE EMBODYING THE SAME Filed July 1. 1921 @08 2??? fiizrwgy j C001? Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

1,687,323 I PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY S. COOK, OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO COOK LABORATORIES, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MEDICAMRNT CARTRIDGE AND HYPODERMIC SYRINGE EMBODYING THE Application filed July 1, 1921. Serial No. 481,997.

Hypodermic injections should be made with sterile fluids discharged directly from sealed containers or packages through sterilized needles. To permitthis practice, an-

esthetic solutions and other medicaments for hypodermic administrations are packaged in so-called cartridges or sealed containers adapted for use in conjunction with such needles as operative components of assembled syringe devices or injection-administering organizations. In a syringe or injection-administering organization of the kind referred to, the cartridge is pierced by the needleor a canula in communication therewith, and the cartridge and needle are held in operative relation whilethe cartridge is operated to contract in interior volume and thereby forcibly expel the fluid through the needle.

,Thepresent invention relates to such syringe organizations and cartridges therefor. The invention aims to enhance the efliclency and reliability of such organizations by fa cilitating the insertion of the needle in the cartridge and promo-ting proper working conditions and especially the maintenance of good sea-ling conditions during the cartridge-piercing and fluid-ej ecting operations, thereby minimizing opportunity for contamination of the fluid. The invention aims to provide'a practicable and reliable cartridge for use as a merchandising package and for use in conjunction with a needle or cartridge-piercing canula as an operative syringe component in the type of organization referred to.

The invention will be explained by reference to an illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims following the description.

' In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a syringe comprising or containing an assembled inj ection-administering organization embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the cartridge employed in such organization, the fore end portion of the cartridge'being in section; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

The cartridge shown in the drawings comprises a glass tube5, preferably a section of commercial glass tubing, with rubber plugs 6 and 7 tightly fitted in the opposite ends of the tube. The plugs in this instance fulfill the function of sealing closures and additional functions presently to be explained. Between the plugs is confined the solution of anesthetic or other medicament to be dispensed. The plugs are shown as cup-shaped or axially recessed stoppers arranged with their recesses facing inward and exposed to the liquid in the tube. It will be apparent from the drawings that the relative dimensions of the plugs and their recesses are such as to provide thick solid end portions and thick annular extensions thereofaround the recesses, so that'the soft rubber plugs are sufficiently stiff to'bind firmly in the-tube. The plugs are preferably of molded rubber. Molded rubber plugs of substantially uniform external diameter such as shown are preferable to plugs punched from sheet rubher, as the molded plugs will retain their desired form without objectionable unequal contraction.

In the use of the cartridge with assembled means to create a syringe or injection-aclministering organization, one of the elastic or resilient stoppers is pierced by a canula, while the opposite plug or stopper is adapted to be forced into or through the tube to expel the fluid through the canula; Such-an organi zation is exemplified in Fig. 1, where the canula is provided by a double-pointed hypodermic needle 8 removably connected with the fore end of a cartridge-holder 9, the needle being arranged axially and with its inner end protruding into the cartridgeholder so as to pierce the recessed plug 6 in the fore end of the cartridge tube. Thus the plug 6 is pierced at its axial or central portion, i. e. the needle punctures the initially imperforate solid end portion of the plug/ in line with the recess. Obviously the reduction in thickness of the plug at its axial por tion by virtue of the recess reduces the re sistance tothe piercing operation and the liability of pushing the stopper inwardly by the piercing operation and thereby forcing the opposite stopper outward. The substantially thick end portion of the plug pierced by the needle by virtue of its inherent resiliency and compression in the tube, tightly hugs and forms a resilient or elastic seal around the needle, and will immediately become self-sealing if and when the needle is' withdrawn. The annular extension of the plug surrounding the recess increases the effestive length of the plug in relation to. the

thickness of the wall to be pierced, promoting the sealing capability of the plug. The relatively greater longitudinal dimension of the exterior cylindric portion of the plug in tight frictional engagement with the tube increases its hold in the smooth bore of the straight glass tube and its resistance to dislacement by the cartridge-piercing and Enid-ejecting operations, while at the same time the axially recessed plug is more easily pierced by the needle than a solid plug of corresponding length.

For the fluid-ejecting operation, the plug 7 in the opposite end of the cartridge tube,

functioning as a piston, may be pushed in-' ward by a plunger rod 10 so as to contract the interior volume of the cartridge and thereby forcibly expel the fluid through the needle. In this operation, the hydrostatic pressure or force transmitted through the liquid acts not only longitudinally but also radially outward on the annular wall of the recessed plug't in the fore end of the cartridge tube, thus tendingto tighten the hold of the plug 6 in the tube and increasing the resistance to relative displacement of the tube and plug, and so promoting the maintenance of good sealing conditions, during the fluidejecting operation.

Since inthis instance the piston plug 7 1n the opposite end of the tube is of the same character as the fore plug (the cartridge being designed for use with either end foremost) it follows that the hydrostatic pressure during the fluid-ejecting action also presses the annular wall of said piston plug 7 against 'the interior of the tube, enhancing its sealing effect. Furthermore the cup-shaped piston plug when forced through the glass tube will readily conform to slight irregularities in the bore of the tube, which, though of substantially uniform or straight bore to permit forcing the piston plugtherethrough,is nevertheless subject to certain irregularities or variations of bore where ordinary commercial glass tubing is employed. It will be understood that such commercial tubing is of straight or uniform bore within the sense employed in any of the appended claims.

The syringe or injection-administering organization illustrated has the cartridge and needle held in operative relation by an instrument such as shown in my prior Patent No. 1,230,497 dated June 26, 1917. Said instrument comprises the cartridge holder or so-called barrel 9, having a detachably secured head 11 with a split screw-threaded extension 12 in which the needle is clamped by the cap nut 13. The plunger rod 10 which is adapted to enter the cartridge tube is slidable in a bore in a rear extension of the cartridge holder. With this particular assembly, the cartridge may be inserted endwise in the holder or barrel and the head 11 having the needle clamped therein may then be applied and secured on the fore end, of the barrel as explained in said prior patent, causing the inner end of the needle to pierce the recessed plug in the fore end of the cartridge tube, and a syringe is then created ready to apply the in ection.

The cartridge typifies a sealed medicament kind is ejected directly from a sealed package through a sterilized needle, is conducive to safety as well as convenience in administering injections.

In producing cartridges or medicament dispensing packages of the specific kind shown, which are made up of straight openended tubes preferably ofglass and stoppers of rubber or the like to seal the ends of the tube, the use of rubber stoppers having inwardly facing axial cavities of substantial depth facilitates the manufacture, in that such stoppers can be inserted and forced into the ends of the tube more readily than unrecessed stoppers, because the tubular or annular wall portion of the recessed stopper pro-' vides a zone extending for a substantial part of the length of the stopper wherein it is much more easily compressed radially than at the closed outer portion of the stopper. Thus the forcing in and accompanying compression of the stopper is not apt to cause breakage of the frangible glass tube in manufacture.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A hypodermic. syringe embodying a sealed medicament container, comprising a tube with a fore sealing stopper consisting of an axially recessed plug of resilient material arranged with its recess facing inwardly and adapted to be pierced by and seal around a hollow needle, andhavingarear piston plug to be forced into or through the tube to eject the fluid contents through the needle in combination with said needle, means for holding the needle to pierce the said axially recessed plug at its axial portion, and an ejector to enter said tube to drive in the piston plug; the recess of the fore plug adapting it to be readily pierced.

2. A hypodermic syringe comprising, in,

in its opposite end a displaceable piston plug; and means associated with such cartridge to provide an injection-administering organization, said associated'means including a canula to pierce said recessed stopper in the fore .end of the tube and a plunger to drive in the piston plug to eject the fluid contents through the canula the recess in the stopper in the fore end of the tube providing an annular wall on which hydrostatic pressure acts radially outward during the fluid-ejecting operation, thereby tending to tighten the stopper in the tube and to promote maintenance of a good seal during operation.

3. A hypodermic syringe comprising an assembled injection-administering organization embodying a cartridge and cartridgepiercing canula and constructed and organized to operate by reducing the interior volume of the cartridge to eject the fluid con- .tents through the canula, said cartridge comprising a tube having a stopper of resilient material with an inwardly facing axial recess, the canula piercing the said stopper at its axial or central portion and the recess of said stopper providing an annular wall on which the hydrostatic pressure acts radially outward during the fluid-ejecting operation, thereby tending to tighten the hold of the stopper in the tube.

4. In a hypodermic syringe embodying a' cartridge as an operative component, the combination with a-cartridge-piercing canula of a cartridge embodying a tube with a sealing closure pierced at its central port1on by the canula, said closure consisting of an axially recessed stopper of resilient material arranged with its recess facing inwardly and providin an annular portion pressed against the tube by ydrostatic pressure in the fluidejecting operation.

5. A hypodermm syringe comprising, in

, combination, a sealed medicament container constructed to have its interior volume reduced and embodying-a tube with a fore sealing closure consisting of a plug of resihent material having an inwardly-facing axial recess; and associated holding and operating means including means to support a needle in position to pierce the said axially-recessed plug and ejector means cooperable with the container for reducing its interiorvolume to force the contained fluid through the needle; the said recess of said plug providing an annular wall on which the hydrostatic pressure acts radially outward during the fluidejecting o eration so as to press said wall more tight y against the interior of the tube and promote the maintenance of a good seal.

6. A hypodermic ilyringe comprising, in combination, a cartri ge embodyinga rigid tube of substantially uniform bore having in its opposite ends resilient cup-sha ed stoppers, arranged with their recesses acing 1n- "wardly; and associated holding and operating means including a canula piercing one of sald stoppers and a lunger adapted to enter said tube to force tlie other stopper axially into or through the tube for expelling its contents through the canula; the tubular portions of said stoppers receiving hydrostatic pressure radially outward during the medicament-ex elling operation.

7. A ypodermic springe comprising, in combination, a holder body; a plunger movable longitudinally of the body; and a medicament package carried by said body and having a resilient initially im erforate plug closing an opening therein; the parts being so constructed and arranged that the. plunger reduces the interior volume of said package to expel the medicament; said plug cupshaped to facilitate the piercing thereof by a needle and to provide a readily compressible annular wall compressed in position in said opening; said wall further pressed adapted to be readily pierced by a hollow needle and to seal around the same and the other stopper adapted to be forced through the tube to expel the liquid through the needle.

9. A cartridge for use in a cartridge syringe comprising a sealed liquid container embodying a rigid tube of substantially uniform bore with a pierceable stopper in one end and a piston plug in itsopposite end by which the fluid contents may be forcibly expelled through a canula thrust through said stopper; the said pierceable stopper comprising an imperforate plug of resilient material having an inwardly facing axial cavity of such depth and diameter as to providean outer closed end portion of substantially reduced axial dimension and an inwardly extending tubular portion on which, during the medicament-expelling action, the hydrostatic pressure will act. radially outward to promote sealing of the tube and holding of the plgg against tendency to move out of the tu e.

closure to be pierced by a. canula and constructed to have its interior volume reduced for forcibly expelling the liquid through such canula, said closure comprising an imperforate plug of resilient material having 10. A syringe cartridge comprising a sealed liquid-containing tube embodying a an inwardl facing axial recess substantially reducing t e thickness 'of the wall of the plug tobe pierced by the canula and providing an annular wall exposed to the liquid on which hydrostaticSpressure will act radially outward during the ej ecting operation, thereby tending to tighten the hold of the plug in the tube and to promote the maintenance of a good seal during operation.

11. A syringe cartridge comprising a sealed medicament container embodying -a pierceable stopper and constructed to have its interior volume reduced for ejecting the medicament through a canula piercing the stopper, said stopper having an inwardly facing axial recess providing an annular wall adapted to be pressed against the interior of the tube by hydrostatic pressure during the ejecting operation.

12. A syringe cartridge comp-rising a sealed medicament container constructed to have its interior volume reduced for ejecting the medicament through a canula, said container embodying a tubular portion having an axially recessed sealing stopper of resilient material adapted to permit establishing communication between. such canula and the interior of the container and to form a sealed connection with the canula so as to prevent leakage or outflow of fluid except through the canula, said stopper arranged with its recess facing inwardly and providing an annular wall exposed to the liquid and on which hydrostatic pressure will act radially outward during the ejecting operation, thereby tending to tighten the stopper in the sa1d tubular portion and to promote maintenance of a good seal during operation.

13. A syringe cartridge comprlslng a sealed liquid containing tube embodying a closure to be pierced by a canula and a p-lug adapted to be forced inward for e ecting the liquld through such canula, said closure comprising an imperforate plug of resilient material having an inwardly-facing axlal recess substantially reducing the thickness of the wall to be pierced by the canula and providing an annular wall exposed to the liquid and on which hydrostatic pressure will act radially outward duringthe ejecting operation to promote the sealing of the tube and the holding of the plug againsttendency to move out of the tube.

14. A syringe cartridge comprising a sealed liquid-containing tube of glass having a pierceable stopper and constructed to be reduced in interior volume for forcibly expelling its fluid contents through a canula piercing said stopper, said p-ierceable stopper comprising an imperforate plug of resilient material inserted in the tube under compression and having an inwardly opening axial cavity of such depth and diameter as to provide a closed outer portion of substantially reduced axial dimension and an inwardly extending tubular portion, so that the plug has a zone extending for a substantial part of its length wherein it is much more easily compressed radially than at the outer portion of the plug, the recess thus facilitating insertion of the plug under compression in,

' while the wall closing the outer end of the recess is thin enough to be easily pierced by aneedle, though not so thin but that it may stand repeated piercings without becoming A 1 mutilated and losing its sealing effect.

16. A combined medicament package and dispensing device comprising, in combination, a tube of rigid material; and resilient closures for the opposite ends of the tube to seal the same and provide a package for 3 liquid medicament; one of said closures being generally cup-shaped so as to present a longitudinally extending tubular wall for a portion of its length; said tubular wall part extending inwardly, and theou'ter face of said closure being substantially plane and unbroken, so that the closure presents one part more readily contracted by radial compression than the remainder thereof. a

17. A cartridge comprising a sealed liquid container embodying a tube of substantially uniform bore and resilient cupshaped stoppers sealing opposite ends of the tube and arranged therein with their recessesv facing inwardly, either of said stoppers adapted to be pierced by a canula and the other to serve as a piston plug.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si ature.

HARVEY S. C OK 

